Online Accelerating Program
IR & pitch deck consulting and Korea–ASEAN seminar
Operated Sep–Oct by PEN Ventures Korea
KOREA · ASEAN · AI STARTUP · 2026
AI YOUTH FESTA 2026
A discovery, acceleration, and investment-linkage program where AI startups from 11 ASEAN countries and Korea meet across borders.
Experience everything in one journey—from document screening to an ~8-week accelerator and an on-site Demo Day.
Application period: July 28 - August 21, 2026 PHT(UTC+8)
12
Participating countries (11 ASEAN + Korea)
24
Finalists (2 teams per country)
~8 weeks
Online accelerating program
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
One application connects you
to 12 countries’ AI ecosystems
AI YOUTH FESTA 2026 is a Korea–ASEAN cooperation program organized by NIPA (National IT Industry Promotion Agency) with support from the ASEAN-Korea Cooperation Fund (AKCF).
The program aims to discover innovative AI ideas and startups, build networking and collaboration between Korea and ASEAN, and contribute to the growth of the ASEAN AI startup ecosystem and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Focus areas — Startups and pre-founders with AI/machine learning–based business models linked to the SDGs. Agritech, foodtech, healthtech, edtech, cleantech, fintech, and more are welcome.
Selection scale — Across 12 participating countries (11 ASEAN countries + Korea), 2 teams per country—24 teams in total—will be selected through document review and pitching evaluation.
Program structure — Document review → Pitching video evaluation → Online accelerating (Sep–Oct) → Final competition & Demo Day in the Philippines (November), in four stages.
South Korea
Brunei
Cambodia
Indonesia
Laos
Malaysia
Myanmar
Philippines
Singapore
Thailand
Timor-Leste
Vietnam
SCHEDULE
Program Process
From document review to the on-site finals in the Philippines, the program runs in four stages from July through November.
01
8.21. – 8.27. PHT(UTC+8)
Document Review
Screening and document evaluation → 2 companies selected per country
02
Aug 28
Pitching Video Evaluation
Presentation evaluation and final 24 teams confirmed (Aug 28)
03
Sep–Oct
Accelerating Program (Online)
Startup diagnosis, 1:1 expert & commercialization mentoring, pitch deck consulting, Korea–ASEAN seminar
04
Main competition Nov 4–5
Final Competition & Demo Day
Held in the Philippines · Investor networking
PARTICIPATION BENEFITS
Benefits for Selected Teams
From expert mentoring to airfare and lodging for the on-site Demo Day—practical support for your growth.
Business Matching & Networking
Offline networking with local VCs, accelerators, and corporate partners
Competition Participation Support
Round-trip airfare and lodging for the on-site final competition
Follow-up Linkage Support
Recommendations for related overseas expansion programs and follow-up meeting support
Awards for Top Teams
Cash prizes for the top 3 teams at the final competition (see below)
1ST PLACE
USD 20,000
approx. KRW 29M
2ND PLACE
USD 10,000
approx. KRW 14M
3RD PLACE
USD 5,000
approx. KRW 7M
ELIGIBILITY
Eligibility
You must meet all four of the following conditions to apply.
You must meet all four conditions
-
NationalityNationality
Companies whose headquarters and representative are nationals of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam, or Korea
-
Company AgeCompany Age
Startups founded within the last 7 years (on or after Jul 28, 2019), or pre-founders without business registration
-
Tech FocusTech Focus
Applying AI/machine learning technology with a business model linked to the SDGs
-
LeadershipLeadership Participation
The CEO or a C-level executive must be able to participate directly throughout the entire program
HOW TO APPLY
How to Apply
Complete and submit 5 parts plus attachments via the online application.
Before applying by email, download the announcement and forms from the Documents section below and prepare them in advance.
-
STEP 01 Basic Info · AI Solution
Company info, AI technology & industry, business viability
-
STEP 02 Global Expansion · Team
Korea–ASEAN expansion plan and team introduction
-
STEP 03 Supporting Materials (Optional)
Attach evidence of revenue, fundraising, and awards
-
STEP 04 Required Documents
Submit required documents such as the application form, then finalize
Pitch Deck (PDF)
Pitching Video 5–10 min
Proof of incorporation
Personal information consent form
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Browse answers on this page, or download the full FAQ as a Word file.
The program is organized by NIPA (National IT Industry Promotion Agency) and supported by the ASEAN-Korea Cooperation Fund (AKCF).
Early- to growth-stage startups with an MVP (minimum viable product), or pre-founders without business registration, may apply. The representative must be a national of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam, or Korea, and the business must be in AI technology linked to the SDGs.
Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam, and the Republic of Korea—12 countries in total.
No. Participation is free of charge.
Across 12 countries, 2 teams per country—24 teams in total—will be selected as finalists.
Yes. A CEO or C-level executive who can represent the company must participate.
No. Only program staff and mentors can access it; it will not be disclosed externally.
Download the recruitment announcement, personal information consent form, and other designated forms from “Download Announcement & Forms” on the main page, complete them, and attach the files to the relevant fields in your application.
PDF, DOC, DOCX, XLS, XLSX, PPT, PPTX, JPG, PNG, WEBP, ZIP · Max 10MB per file
Allowed formats and size limits for each attachment field are shown on the application screen.
Pitching videos are limited to 5–10 minutes.